if you knew how happy you are making me
by ChocoholicMonkeyfish
Summary: Day one of RucasFanfictionWeek2016. Fluffy prompt: "Your obsession with animals is going a little out of hand, don't you think?"


_Based off of a post I put up a few weeks ago on tumblr (frankchurchillsaysrelax). Just a warning, I was listening to Hamilton while I wrote this and it worked its way in with some pretty ridiculous references, and I barely edited this so I'm sure there are a ton of mistakes._

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"Alright Peaches, I'm here. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Uh huh, love you too bye." Riley ends the call and awkwardly balances her phone and the bag of groceries in her arms while pulling out her keys. She lets herself into Lucas' apartment and quickly sets her things down on the table beside the door before she has a chance to drop them.

"Sunshine, here kitty!" she calls into the empty apartment, waiting for the telltale sound of little claws against the wood floors. The long-haired tabby slinks her way out from under the couch and comes over to rub her head against Riley's legs as they walk into the kitchen.

The 3-year-old cat had originally received her name ironically, having been the furthest from a Princess Dancing Sunshine that you could imagine. Months of abuse before being rescued by the shelter had made her surly and slow to trust but these days she was quite friendly for a cat, especially around Riley. (She liked to say it was because she knew Riley was her namesake, Lucas claimed it was because she fed her too many treats. Clearly Lucas had no idea what he was talking about.)

Sunshine curls up on a kitchen chair while Riley gets to work cooking her celebratory dinner for Lucas who had won his very first solo case earlier in the day. She was so proud of him and she couldn't wait for him to get home so she could tell him she told him so.

Lucas had been preparing non-stop for the last month making sure that he knew absolutely everything about the case and couldn't be surprised by anything. Whenever he wasn't in the courtroom he would be at his office reading and researching. She had barely seen him in the last few weeks, but she knew how nervous he had been and had tried her best to be supportive while keeping her distance. Now that it was all over she just wanted to curl up with him and celebrate the victory and the fact that she had her boyfriend back.

Just as she finishes dishing everything up, but later than she'd anticipated, she hears the sound of several footsteps and panting coming from out in the hall. She wipes her hands on a towel and moves to stand where she'll be visible from the front door.

Lucas walks in with his three dogs pulling at their leashes to get to Riley who they had been able to sense ever since they got off the elevator. Lucas finally realizes she's standing there when she laughs at the attack of kisses she receives when he lets go of his grip on the leashes.

His face lights up with a grin as he watches them for a moment. "Come on guys," he says eventually, walking over to push the dogs away and give Riley a kiss of his own. When they pull apart he wraps his arms around her in a warm hug, their first in over a week, and tucks his face into her neck to breathe her in. "Not that I'm complaining, like at all, but what are you doing here?"

He places a few light kisses on her neck and Riley sighs, soaking up this moment that she's been waiting what feels like an eternity for. She's always surprised by how much she misses him after only a few days.

"I wanted to surprise you," she tells him, leading him into the kitchen. "I've been planning this for over a week but I had to wait for your text earlier to know if I was shopping for a celebration or consolation meal. I should have went ahead and bought all of this earlier. I knew you would win." She smiles up at him and pulls him down for another quick kiss.

"Thanks for always believing in me Riles."

"I always will," she promises.

The couple separates and Riley grabs their plates while Lucas pours them each a glass of wine. They sit down and enjoy Riley's hard work while he tells her more about the case and his closing argument that he'd delivered that morning. She sat back and just listened to him, thinking to herself for the millionth time since he changed his major halfway through their sophomore year that this was what he was meant to do. She has no doubt that he would have made an amazing veterinarian, but the way his whole being perks up when he's talking about laws and the people he gets to help is proof that he made the right choice.

"This was amazing babe. We've been eating takeout 24/7 since this whole thing began. This is exactly what I needed, thank you." He leans back in his chair, placing a hand on his stomach. Suddenly she feels his foot hook around her ankle under the table and she can't help but smile, saying she was happy to do it. After a few minutes Lucas stands and begins to clear the table. She follows him, despite his protests, and grabs a towel telling him she'll dry while he washes.

"Did you and the rest of the team go out to celebrate?" she asks as he hands her the last dish. "I was expecting you home earlier."

Lucas sighs and bites his lip not saying anything for a minute. He pulls the stopper out of the drain and turns around to lean against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest. He gives her a look that she's seen a few times before and it's enough to give her a pretty good idea of where this conversation is headed.

"So I was walking out of the courthouse when I heard the saddest sound you've ever heard. Really Riles, it was heartbreaking," he assures her. She nods for him to continue, knowing _exactly_ where this is going. "I walked around the corner and there she was. They left her in a shoebox Riley! So I brought her to the to the clinic on my way back to the office so they could check her out." He pauses, reaching into his pants pocket for his phone. He swipes a few times until her finds what he's looking for and passes her the phone. On the screen is the smallest puppy she's ever seen laying on an examination table, her head resting on her paws and her eyes closed in sleep.

"Oh Lucas, she's adorable." She can't stop the happy noise she lets out as she swipes through the other photos of the tiny dog with its floppy ears; one brown, one white and so big that they can almost cover her whole face.

Lucas grins at her obvious happiness. "I stopped by again after work. They said she's perfectly healthy. They're giving her her shots but they said I can pick her up tomorrow afternoon."

Riley gives him an amused look with a soft shake of her head. **"Your obsession with animals is getting a little out of hand, don't you think?"** she teases.

"Not at all." He pulls her closer by the hips and lets his fingertips push the hem of her shirt up making small circles on the skin of her lower back. She's not sure why he suddenly felt the need to touch her but she isn't about to start complaining. Lucas leans down to leave a trail of kisses down her neck again. "Now the Schuyler sisters are all together."

Riley throws her head back with a loud laugh. She wraps her arms around his neck and leans against him as she tries to catch her breath. Still giggling she says, "My dad's and your obsession with that musical is what's getting out of hand."

"Right, because you don't like it _at all_. I've heard you trying to rap along to 'Satisfied'," he responds smugly.

"Yeah but I've never named my dogs Angelica and Eliza," she points out.

"And Peggy." He nods toward the phone she had set on the counter and they both start giggling again.

"Are you sure you have the room?" she asks after a minute, glancing around the one bedroom apartment even though she couldn't see anything past the kitchen walls.

"Yeah I've been thinking about it and even though my place isn't as big as your parents' it's still decent." He pauses and she notices his Adam's apple bob as he swallows. "I think we can probably fit two more around here," he adds.

"Two? You're planning on getting another one after Peggy?" she asks confused. Other than his first dog Rocky, Lucas had never planned on adopting any of his pets; they'd always just seemed to fall into his life.

"Well no, actually I was thinking Peggy and um, well you." He said it as more of a question, his right eye closing slightly in a wink as his lips pull up on one side.

"M-me?" she whispers. "Are - are you asking me what I think...?"

"Will you move in with me Riley?" His fingertips have resumed his soothing circles and she can feel her heart rate slowing back down. "I mean I know your lease is up soon, and if Maya and Josh are still planning on moving in together then it just makes sense. Besides I hate how little we've gotten to see each other lately and-"

"Yes!" she interrupts him. "Of course I will," she adds more softly.

Suddenly her feet are no longer on the floor as Lucas lifts her up and twirls her around with some strange cheer. His lips find hers again and they stand there wrapped up in each other until Eliza walks over and drops a slobbery tennis ball at their feet wanting to join in on whatever they are celebrating. Lucas sets her down to go play with the dogs and she follows him, happy to watch.

Moving in with her boyfriend and his five pets has to be the craziest thing she has ever done. She can't wait.


End file.
